MENSWEAR STAPLES: SHOES

Article courtesy of thefashionisto.com/blogs

(See Part 1: Tops here, Part 2: Bottoms here, Part 3: Outerwear here and Part 4: Accessories here. )

Shoes have the ability to make or break an outfit. It’s difficult to find shoes that compliment your wardrobe perfectly, but if you have patience and are persistent in your search, eventually you’ll happen upon the perfect pair.

I must reiterate, HAVE PATIENCE. In my search, I fell into the typical trap of buying way too many pairs of shoes to appease my temporary want, only to eventually replace them with the perfect pair that came with time.

Considering color, I gravitate towards dark colors, but I do experiment with bursts of bright colors occasionally. Shoes are the one area of my wardrobe in which I do not experiment. Unless you’re a shoe aficionado with a plethora of shoes to choose from, shoes need to be the most versatile part of a wardrobe. I recommend selecting colors that have endless options when working with your current wardrobe. Brown, black, and gray are great staple colors. If you’re one of the few who can pull it off, white is an excellent color as well.

In relation to price, higher quality often demands a higher price that accompanies greater comfort. If you are looking at a pair of shoes that will only cross your path once or the shoes you are likely to be buried in, go ahead and break the bank. If you’re looking for a temporary fix, hold on tight to your pocket.

Stomping Tales

Boots are increasingly popular on the runway and the market is expanding.  Personally for me, boots emerged as a trend, but are now here to stay as a staple.  Over pants and worn with thick wool socks, boots add punch to ordinary outfits.  There are two options for boots: pull-on or laced.  The pull-on boot offers a clean sophisticated look and it’s laced counterpart usually contributes to a dressed down militant look.